Maryland Vital Records: Birth: Difference between revisions

[http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/refserv/html/birthhis.html#Colonial Maryland State Archives;]

[[An overview of the FamilySearch Catalog|FamilySearch Library]]

Transcriptions: [http://www.msa.md.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000054/html/index.html Kent, Talbot, & Somerset Counties, various years]

| NO BIRTH RECORDS KEPT BY THE COUNTY COURTS

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| [http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/refserv/html/birthhis.html#countyct Maryland State Archives]

| [http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/refserv/html/birthhis.html#county Maryland State Archives]

| width="16.6%" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" | [[#Maryland_Births.2C_1973_to_Present.C2.A0|1973 to Present]]  

| [http://www.vsa.state.md.us/html/birth.html Division of Vital Records]  

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| width="16.6%" bgcolor="#ffffcc" align="center" | Before 1875  

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| [http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/refserv/html/birthhis.html#baltimore Maryland State Archives]  

| [http://www.vsa.state.md.us/html/birth.html Division of Vital Records]  

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Beginning in 1654, the Maryland General Assembly required the recording all births by the clerk of the county court. Later, the responsibility was assigned to the Clerks of the Protestant Episcopal Vestry. The Protestant Episcopal Church was required to register all births that occurred – regardless of the parents' religion – until 1776. Other churches also recorded births of their congregation members, thus creating a second recording of some individual's birth.  

:*Names of parents (sometimes the mother's name was not recorded).

During 1800 to 1864, Maryland did not require the recording of any birth information. Only local churches were recording births occurring during this time period.  

Registration of births was reestablished in 1865 and assigned to the county circuit courts by the Maryland General Assembly. Most people did not comply with the new law, which resulted in a small number of births actually being recorded. Church records continue to be a primary source of birth information.  

Baltimore City had different laws regarding the recording of births compared to the rest of Maryland. In 1874, the Mayor and City Council required registration of all births that occurred in Baltimore City. This registration requirement lasted until 1972, when the state Division of Vital Records became responsible for all 23 counties and the city of Baltimore. The Maryland State Archives has an 1875 - 1941 index for the Baltimore City births. The index is public even though the birth records are restricted for 100 years.  

:Information on Baltimore City birth records included:  

=== '''Maryland County Birth Records, 1898-1972'''  ===

A new law by the General Assembly in 1898 required birth registration in Maryland’s 23 counties. Baltimore City was excused from the new law because it had required registration since 1875. The citizens and counties were slow to comply with the registration requirement. A high compliance rate did not occur until approximately 1914.  

:Information on birth records from 1898 to 1972 include:  

=== '''Maryland Births, 1973 to Present '''  ===

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Division of Vital Records became the only agency to register births for all 23 counties and Baltimore City beginning in July 1972.  

Birth records and indexes located at the Maryland State Archives can be viewed onsite or a research request can be made. To view fees and how to request information, go to the Maryland State Archives website, [http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/refserv/html/orders.html Placing Research & Copy Orders].  

Below is a list of the necessary information to view or request copies of microfilm and original records that are available at the Maryland State Archives. The list includes birth indexes and birth records available seperated by time period.<br>  

:*Church Indexes, Birth &amp; Baptism Index: Maryland Indexes 1663-1967, various dates for 13 churches [http://guide.mdsa.net/series.cfm?action=viewSeries&ID=S1401 MSA S1401, Index 28]

:*Somerset County Court, 1649-1720 [http://guide.mdsa.net/series.cfm?action=viewSeries&ID=C1739 MSA C1739, original]; [http://guide.mdsa.net/series.cfm?action=viewSeries&ID=CM956 MSA CM956, microfilm]  

'''''[http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/refserv/html/birthhis.html#countyct Births in Circuit Court records from 1865-1884:]'''''<br>  

:*Somerset County Circuit Court, 1865-1870 [http://guide.mdsa.net/series.cfm?action=viewSeries&ID=C1738 MSA C1738]  

:1898-1909, Board of Health [http://guide.mdsa.net/series.cfm?action=viewSeries&ID=S1035 MSA S1035 microfilm]<br>1898-1919, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Division of Vital Records [http://guide.mdsa.net/series.cfm?action=viewSeries&ID=T1332 MSA T1332] <br>1910-1919, Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics [http://guide.mdsa.net/series.cfm?action=viewSeries&ID=S1045 MSA S1045] <br>1910-1950, Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics [http://guide.mdsa.net/series.cfm?action=viewSeries&ID=SM27 MSA SM27];[http://guide.mdsa.net/series.cfm?action=viewSeries&ID=SM35 MSA SM35 microfilm] <br>  

:1875-1941, Baltimore City Health Department, Bureau of Vital Statistics [http://guide.mdsa.net/series.cfm?action=viewSeries&ID=C2 MSA C2 original]; [http://guide.mdsa.net/series.cfm?action=viewSeries&ID=CM1134 MSA CM1134 microfilm]  

:1875-1972, Baltimore City Health Department, Bureau of Vital Statistics [http://guide.mdsa.net/series.cfm?action=viewSeries&ID=CM1135 MSA CM1135 microfilm]

:1876-1925, Baltimore City Health Department, Bureau of Vital Statistics [http://guide.mdsa.net/series.cfm?action=viewSeries&ID=C2145 MSA C2145] <br>

There are some Maryland Colonial birth records available at the FamilySearch Library. The following are links to topics in the [[Introduction_to_the_FamilySearch_Catalog|FamilySearch Catalog]] that list sources that can be viewed at the FamilySearch Library. Each source has either a book call number or microfilm number assigned to it. Microfilm records and books can be viewed at the [https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/ FamilySearch Library] in Salt Lake City, Utah. Microfilms and microfiche can be loaned and viewed at local [https://www.familysearch.org/centers/locations/ FamilySearch Centers]. Although books from the FamilySearch Library do not circulate, you may be able to find the same title at your local public library, or order it through interlibrary loan (ILL). Below are links that contain birth record sources for different counties in Maryland:  

:*{{FSC|443620|subject-id|disp=Charles County Church Records}}  

:*{{FSC|329103|subject-id|disp=Frederick County Church Records}}  

:*{{FSC|426724|subject-id|disp=Montgomery County Church Records}}  

:*{{FSC|464263|subject-id|disp=St. Mary's County Church Records}}  

Birth certificates from 1898 or beginning in 1875 for Baltimore City to the present can be ordered from the [http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/lifeevents/birth&deathcert.htm Division of Vital Records.] However, they are unable to issue certificates for genealogical purposes. If you are not immediately related to the individual, you must order the birth certificate from the Maryland State Archives.  

'''Records are restricted for 100 years after the date of birth unless you are:'''  

''<span style="display: none" id="1234643179473S"> </span>The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America. (Logan, Utah : Everton Publishers, c2006).''  

''Maryland: Research Outline. (Salt Lake City, Utah : Corp. of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, c1988). <br>''